Certa, which is part of DCC plc, is expanding to 25 HVO fuel sites across Ireland as it responds to soaring demand from thousands of diesel drivers who are choosing the renewable fuel to reduce their carbon emissions while they hold back on switching to an electric vehicle (EV).
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is produced from waste plant matter and can be used as a direct replacement for diesel without any need for engine modifications to help motorists lower their carbon emissions by up to 90%.
Demand for HVO is being driven by diesel drivers who want to ‘go green’ but who have put off switching to an electric vehicle (EV) for a variety of reasons, including the cost of buying an EV, the lack of charging infrastructure across the country, and not having their own driveway or off-street parking where they can install a home charger.
Certa is expanding its HVO offering at a rapid pace and its new HVO fuel site in Portlaoise, which opens to the public this week, is the 25th such site to open over the past 18 months across 17 counties, marking a significant milestone for the company and the fuel industry in Ireland.
Certa opened Ireland’s first fully fledged HVO fuel station in Liffey Valley in late 2023 at a cost of €1 million. 15 of the 25 HVO fuel sites that Certa currently operates have opened over the past eight months and the company has plans to open five more HVO fuel sites over the coming months.
Certa operates a total of 54 forecourt sites and is now the largest supplier of HVO to motorists across Ireland. Demand for the renewable fuel has also been helped by Certa’s decision to provide the new HVO pumps alongside its diesel and petrol pumps. The fuel is distinguished by a pink nozzle to stand out from the traditional black diesel and green petrol nozzles.
Orla Stevens, Managing Director, Certa Ireland said:
“Certa is delighted to open our 25th HVO fuel site in Portlaoise this week and to continue leading the way in making HVO more widely available to motorists across Ireland. Our goal is to make it easy for motorists to transition to HVO as a renewable alternative to diesel to help them to lower their carbon emissions.
‘Diesel and petrol cars accounts for 84% (2.14 million) of the cars on Irish roads. 17% of all new cars sold in Ireland so far this year were diesel. Diesel drivers are holding off on making the switch to EV driving for a variety of reasons. HVO provides an alternative solution and diesel drivers are switching to this biofuel where it is available to them.
“The demand for HVO has grown as we have opened each new HVO fuel site across our network and our plan is to complete the upgrading of our entire network into next year as we continue our journey towards a net zero future.”
The Certa and Emo forecourts selling HVO include Liffey Valley, Finglas (Clearwater), Dundrum, Clarehall, Tallaght and Greenogue in Dublin; Lee Tunnel in Cork, Corofin in Clare, Letterkenny in Donegal, Ballinasloe in Galway, Maynooth in Kildare, Killarney in Kerry, Portlaoise in Laois, Moyne in Longford, Dundalk in Louth, Ballyhaunis in Mayo, Trim in Meath, Kilcormac in Offaly, Clonmel in Tipperary, Waterford city in Waterford, Athlone and Mullingar in Westmeath, and Castlebridge, Gorey and Wexford town in Wexford.
